Sunday, March 20

Kind of a funky few days here and these are the months of using up all of last year's garden vegetables. With my recent schedule, I hadn't the time to bake fresh bread and, yesterday, decided I simply had to make some more No-Knead Bread. But, I wanted to try something a little different from the last batch. Why not bread bowls? That way I can combine the veggies and not worry about the 'dunkin' and 'suckin' part at the end of the meal! Just cut bite-sized pieces from the bread bowl that has already absorbed all the delicious flavors -- yes, I'm on to something. This recipe has also been entered in the Fat Camp Fridays link at Mangoes & Chutney. When it's this good, you gotta share!

I'm going to put the recipe down based on my frozen, canned, and dehydrated vegetables from last year; but, you can substitute frozen and canned items that should make it taste close to the same as mine -- although, not garden fresh.

Beef Burger Stew

1 - 8oz beef patty

1 - small onion, chopped

1 cup frozen peas (mine were blanched and frozen, not cooked)

1 cup frozen lima beans (mine were blanched and frozen, not cooked)

2 small carrots, shaved in strips and chopped

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/8 tsp allspice

3/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp mace, ground

1/8 tsp oregano, ground

1/2 tsp parsley

1/4 tsp tarragon

1 Tablespoon tomato powder

8 juniper berries, crushed

2 tsps powdered cream

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons flour

2 cups beef stock

1 Tablespoon shredded cheese, per bowl

3 No-Knead Bread bowls or bread of your choice (directions below)

Preheat solar oven to 225F. Use 3 quart covered casserole.

Over medium heat, in heavy saucepan, cook hamburger patty, and crumble; remove from pan and set aside.

4. In separate small bowl, add together all spices and herbs, mix and add to sauce. Add burger mix; blend and pour into casserole.
5. Cover and bake in solar oven 35-45 minutes.

Serve in bread bowls. Place 1 Tablespoon shredded cheese in bottom of bowl, add stew and garnish, if desired.

No-Knead Bread Bowls
Following linked recipe above, the change takes place in the cooking. Divide the dough in thirds; spray six small disposable pie pans with cooking oil. Place one-third ball of dough in pan.

Cap with second pie pan and seal with masking tape (almost falls off when ready to remove during baking process).

Place in solar oven and bake approximately 35 minutes; remove top pan and return bread to oven. Cook for an additional 40 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when "thumped." Remove to rack and let bread cool. With bread knife, cut off cap and remove bread with fork, leaving at least 1/2 inch bread on sides and bottom of bowl. Use excess bread for crumbs or bread pudding!

Fill with stew and garnish, if desired. This is a hearty meal and probably won't need additional sides. I've used a dried tomato slice, which will rehydrate in just a few minutes, adding great zest to this hearty meal.

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